Beyond the Horizon
by Mercury-Serenity
Summary: Mary Alice Brandon woke up as a vampire in a cold, black room, dressed in bloody hospital robes. She remembered nothing of her existence, only the fact that she was alone. As the years passed, she always felt like something was missing. Even now, married to the most enchanting man in the planet, she feels a void in her chest. This is the secret she never knew she had...
1. Coldness

**Beyond the Horizon**

**Coldness**

I didn't know much back then. I just knew that I was the cause of her suffering. I had to be, because she often complained by making uncomfortable pained noises whenever I moved. It wasn't always, but whenever I stayed still, she would reward me with her glorious voice.

"You aren't moving today, angel," she would say to me, as she gently touched her swollen stomach. "Are you still there, my baby?" she would ask me worriedly.

At the sound of her voice, I would try to move as slowly as possible – enough to reply to her query. Most of the time, I would remain still, but as time passed, it became futile. The space I was in was rapidly closing in on me. Days, weeks, or months passed, and I rarely heard her animated voice. She was scared. Someone was following her, trying to harm her. I was scared, helpless.

"Elliot," she whispered one night.

I could feel the pressure her touch to her stomach caused, creating a rippling effect of the fluid that surrounded me. It was soothing.

"Hmmm," I heard him speak.

Their faces were a mystery to me. I only knew them by their voices, but I knew one thing, I loved them. I loved them immensely. They were the source of my joy and comfort.

"Is the little rascal hurting you again?" he asked, his deep voice full of concern.

"No," My mother replied soothingly. "How long until she or he is born?"

"I don't know," I heard the uncertainty in his voice. "His growth is accelerated. Perhaps any day now,"

"Will the birth..." she trailed off.

"It won't be a problem," he said reassuringly. "I have enough self control around you, Alice."

"Okay,"

"Don't ever doubt me, angel," he replied.

His voice, just like hers calmed me. I could remain still for hours, listening to their exchange of words. With each passing day, their words made sense to me. Sentence by sentence, word after word, they began to paint pictures of things that I didn't comprehend, but I did understand. He was concerned for our wellbeing. I could sense that I would be a welcome addition to them. The simple thought warmed my heart with unspoken love.

"I don't doubt you," she said and sighed heavily, "I've dreamed of a man... He wanted to hurt me,"

"Tell me about it,"

Her words drop into a whisper, and I could barely hear it. The fear in her voice scared me, but my father's reassurance calmed my worried heart. He had that effect on us – my mother and I.

"Sleep, angel," father said and began to hum a soft melody. It was my favorite. Mother joined him and their voices together sounded like the most beautiful symphony to me.

"The baby doesn't move when it hears your voice," My mother would say in a humorous tone. "Do you think it's a he or a she?"

"I don't know," I heard the doubt in my father's voice. "To be honest, after I was transformed, I didn't think this could be possible, sweetheart. You've given me the greatest gift."

"Really?" she asked doubtfully.

"Yes," he said. "It's unheard of... but, please, forgive my selfishness. I am glad that you have given me the privilege to become a father."

"It comes with a price," she said sadly.

"Yes, I am aware," he sighed. "I know that the child is basically killing you..."

"It will be all right," she said in a hopeful voice. "If there are any more complications, you can turn me after the birth."

"I will miss your humanity so much," he said sadly.

"We'll be together, Elliot,"

"Yes," he chuckled deeply.

My presence was the source of her happiness and pain. I loved her dearly. I dreamed of what they would look like. I had no early recollection of what a human face would look like, but I knew without a doubt that she would be beautiful. She would astound me!

When it was the time of my birth, I was certain that I was killing her. Her desperate screams, urging my father to end this were too much for me. Her screams were agonizing. I wanted them to stop. I wanted to ease her pain. I closed my eyes, only to be greeted by the faint scent of burning candle and cold hands.

"It's a girl," the familiar male voice said.

I opened my eyes and saw red, crimson eyes staring back at me. He smiled and brought his lips to my chin and caressed me with his cheek.

"I-I want to see her," My mother said tiredly.

I adverted my eyes towards her voice and I couldn't help the tears that spilled down my face. The beautiful face I longed to see was there, hidden behind tired eyes and dark circles.

"Let me see her, Elliot," she whispered.

My father carefully placed me in her warm embrace. Instinctively, I bit her and she wept in pain. I looked up at my father's scolding glance and embarrassed hid my face against her neck. I took a deep breath of her scent and it became engraved in my memory. The sound of her heartbeats were slowly diminishing, her warmth was instantly gone. I reached to touch her, but was whisked away by my father's strong arms. He wrapped me in a heavy blanket and placed me next to my mother.

"Alice, is time,"

"But I want to see her," she said in a weak voice.

"You are losing too much blood," he said worriedly and moved closer to her, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "It will hurt..."

"I want to see her again, please,"

"You will," he said, kissing her cheeks and wiping the tears from her face. "You will hold her, angel. Just let me turn you."

She nodded, turning her head to me. Her smile was the most breathtaking view I've ever seen. I loved her so much. Even in pain she thought of me. I wanted to shoulder her suffering and take on the pain she felt.

I watched as he bit her, cursing at himself for inflicting more pain on her.

"I'm sorry, Alice. It will hurt for a little bit, but you will be fine." He said reassuringly, as he lean forward and bit her neck, upper arms, and wrists. "I'm so sorry, angel." He whimpered sadly.

My mother's eyes rolled back and she began to trash quietly on the mattress as I watched her. Tears fell down my face. I knew that this was my fault. I was responsible. I reached for her hand, when her eyes opened widely. She stared at me and whispered how much she loved me.

He bathed me and clothed me. After I was cleaned, he fed me milk from a bottle. At first, it tasted strange. I craved something different from what I was eating. I pushed the bottle away from my lips.

"This will do for today." He chuckled softly, as he held my hand in his. "Since you are my child you must crave blood, right?"

I stared quizzically at him. "You are different from a normal child," he continued puzzled. "You have teeth..." he placed his thumb in my mouth and on instinct I bit him. "Ouch!"

I was surprised by his frown. My lips quivered and a loud wail escaped my mouth. "Hush, hush. It's fine. You surprised me, that's all. I haven't felt pain in many decades." He grinned. "That's it. That's it. There's no need to cry."

"You seem to understand what I'm saying, don't you?" he said interested.

I smiled and touch his face. My father leaned into my hand and we both turned to face my mother's resting body.

"She'll be fine," he said, picking up the milk bottle. "You need to eat, angel. You are going to grow up as beautiful as your mother."

I took the bottle in my hands and began suckling. It wasn't good, but it staved off the pangs of hunger that I felt. With a satisfied nod, my father smiled and lay next to my mother. He held me tightly against his chest, as his large, cold hand, gently caressed my back. He lulled me to a comfortable daze.

The day went by, as my father held me tightly in his arms and stared at my mother's body. Her heartbeats were soft, and the paleness of her skin was becoming more apparent.

"She'll be fine," Father said, as he kissed my forehead. "I'll protect you both. I'll protect you with my life."

Little did I know that his promise to protect us with his life would become a reality.

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**AN: I wanted to thank you for reading this story. It starts off sort of like And Then Came You, but it's much different. This is just the beginning. I always wondered how would it have been like if Alice had a child before she became a vampire. I always questioned myself what it would feel like if Alice and her daughter met in the most inexplicable circumstances.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Beyond the Horizon**

**Farewell**

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The first two days of my life, I spent them in my father's arms. They were the most glorious days I've ever experienced. They were cold, but despite that fact, it did not matter to me. My father kept me entertained by singing and with stories of his life in South America. He told me stories of how he came to America during the early 1900s and settled in Missouri and then moved to Mississippi.

In his human life, he was a renowned doctor in his native land, but during an accident with one of his patient, he was bitten and transformed. In order to hide his secret and to protect his family in Argentina, he fled. He traveled extensively, never staying in one place for more than four years. I listened attentively, drawn to the tilts and drawl of his accent. His eyes, though crimson, were gentle and full of so much love as he spoke.

"One day," he said, pausing as he reached to touch my mother's forehead. "I will tell you of how I met her. It's a very nostalgic story." He said, furrowing his eyebrows in a deep V. "Maybe she'll want to tell you. I don't want to take that from her... We should open the window and let the spring air fill this room."

"Would you like to hear a song?" he asked, smiling at me.

He twirled me around, as he sang a Spanish song and I giggled loudly. I listened to my father's voice, but my true desire was to hear my mother speak. The room continued to spin around and the mattress on the corner of the room was always in my line of view. My mother still had the same bloody robe, and her breathing had stopped.

"She'll be fine. She will be crystallized in her youth for an eternity," he said methodically, as he stopped twirling me. "She'll be surprised to see how fast you are growing, angel." He said, tipping my chin upward, forcing me to look into his eyes. "I wonder what I should call you."

I glanced at him, and watched as he ponder on what to call me. He frowned and sat at the edge of the bed, causing the mattress to sink a bit.

"How about naming you after your mother and me...? Mary Alexandra?"

I shrugged confused and turned to look at my mother.

"Her name is Mary Alice," he explained, catching my attention with his voice, "I've named you after her, and my name is Alexander," he said, rocking me in his arms. "Is the perfect name, for the perfect daughter. So, what do you think, Mary Alexandra?"

I clapped, unable to speak, as I nodded my approval. "Then it's settled. You'll be Mary Alexandra, my princess."

The afternoon came too fast, bringing the winds of change in our direction. The scent of putrefied blood lingered in the room. My father didn't move from my mother's side, only when necessary, or when I became too cranky to remain in the room.

He would take me outside to see the sun and I was mesmerized by the way his skin glittered under the sun, like thousands of diamonds.

"That's the sun," he said, pointing at the giant globe of light that shone down on us. "I don't know why, but it makes my skin shimmer. Look, you glow, too," he said fascinated, as he held my small arm up to the sun. "It's subtle, but I can see it. Can you, my Alex? Your mother is going to be so delighted."

A flash of something caught my attention, as my father walked around the perimeter, never loosening his hold of me.

"That was a deer," he explained and quickly picked up speed. He caught up with the deer with ease. I laughed, as the wind blew across my face.

"Having fun?"

We never ventured too far away from the cabin where my mother rested. I was appreciative of how much my father entertained me, but impulsively I was starting to miss my mother. I felt the need to be near her. She wasn't in danger, but the nagging feeling spread through me. I couldn't express myself to my father. I couldn't speak, but only react. I cried a lot, pointing toward the cabin.

"You miss her?"

I nodded, resting my cheek against his chest. I yearned to hear my mother's heart beating softly, lulling me to sleep. I yearned to be in her arms, too. I yearned for her voice.

We headed back, when my father caught a faint scent coming from the east. He looked down at me and quickly stopped.

"Something is wrong," he said, raising his head toward the horizon. "Something is wrong, angel."

I gazed at him, confused. He veered into the opposite direction and stopped near the cemetery. It was slowly getting dark, but I could see the outline of his face very clearly. He looked worried.

"Your mother is in danger. She dreamed this..." he said, looking around, as he took a long whiff. "I have to go see her, princess. I need you to stay here for a minute." He said, settling me on the wet ground and knelt beside me and kissed my forehead. "Can you be a good girl and stay here, please?" he said, looking over his shoulder. "Momma might be in trouble. I will get her out of the cabin and come back for you, okay? Don't be afraid, my princess. I will come back for you. I will bring her back here. We are going to be together." He said, kissing my cheeks and draped my blanket over my shoulders. "I love you. I won't be long. I love you so much."

I wanted to reply how much I loved him, but he vanished, leaving me behind. Those were the last words I heard from him. I did as he asked. I waited patiently, without moving. It was getting late, and I was hungry, but that didn't deter me from being obedient. I had to trust my father's judgment. He promised to be back. I trusted him. He was going to bring my mother back. We were going to be together again. We were a family. Family stuck together, right?

The night was cold. I fought hard to stay awake. I didn't want to miss anything. I waited for my parents to come and get me. I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. I fell asleep most of the night. I dreamt of ashes, fire, and loneliness. When I woke up the next day, my heart ache with sadness! It was an unknown feeling. I glanced around hoping to find some sign of my father, but there was still no sign of him. The foreboding feeling of emptiness suffused me.

I struggled to move my feet most of the day. To this day, I don't know how I did it. Call it willpower, motivation or the drive to find my parents, but I managed to stand up on my own two feet. My legs felt like led, wobbly, as I took my first steps. I didn't know where I was heading; I just followed the faint familiar scent of my father. I knew that it would lead me to him.

He would be disappointed that I disobeyed him, but I was fine with that. I had a lifetime to make it up to him. I followed the trail of his scent very carefully. It was almost sunset when the cabin became visible over the distance. I smiled, clapping, because I would soon be reunited with my parents.

It took a long time for my small legs to reach the old cabin. I stopped by the door, frowning at the stench that came from inside. The door was ajar and large footprints led inside. I followed them and with clenched fists walked inside.

The mattress was empty. The blankets had been tossed on the floor. The pain in my chest increased as I approached the bed. The cabin was empty, but my father's scent was overpowering.

My father was gone. My mother was gone. I looked around and didn't find her. I walked into the next room and stopped in front of a pile of ash in the middle of the room. The scent of my father became stronger in that room. I wept when I saw the burned wrist watch band cloaked by the ashes. I've seen it before on my father's left wrist. I reached for it and clutched it to my chest.

A series of images flickered in my head. They were images of my father, an unknown blond man, with crimson eyes. There had been a struggle. Then there was fire and everything went dark. I dropped the remains of the watch on the ground and ran out of the room, as tears welled in my eyes.

I went into the room where I last saw my mother and touched the blankets that were pooled around the bed. Again, a series of images appeared in my head. I gasped, when I saw my mother opening her eyes. They were red, similar to my father. She looked disoriented. When she stepped outside, the images ended. I dropped the blankets and knelt before the bed and sobbed. Without a doubt, I knew that my father was gone.

Immediately, I wiped the tears off my face and went after my mother. She couldn't be far, right? The woods carried her scent. I searched for days, only to hit multiple dead-ends. I was hungry and tired. I don't know how many days passed. Days without feeding weakened me.

I was found in an empty construction lot by two hikers. I was sent to a Catholic orphanage, under the watchful eye of strict nuns.

I lost track of the days that I was there, shunned by everyone, due to my accelerated growth. My father's lullabies were quickly replaced by the cries of children. My mother's smiles were replaced by constant frowns of my caretakers.

I only yearned to be home. I was stripped of a mother and a father all in the same day. I prayed that my mother would be searching for me. I pray fervently that she hadn't forgotten me.

I didn't stay long in the orphanage. My sudden growth alarmed the nuns, causing them to treat me differently. From early on, I knew that I was different. I know that I'm not like them – humans – but I'm forced to hide my true nature. I learned to fight the thirst, the demons, and the loneliness all by myself.

I still think of her. I still search for her. I've never given up. I still see her in my dreams. She looks different, but I know it is her. I see her smile. My dreams feel real. She is happy. She has a family and doesn't need me. I don't blame her. I've never once blamed her. I'm glad that she is happy. Maybe one day I will meet her again and I will be able tell her how much I've missed her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Beyond the Horizon**

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AN: I'm excited to know how do you like this chapter. I promise to start updating more often. At least, once a week. Hope that you like it.

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**My Gift**

I woke up gasping for air. The ache in my heart was unbearable. I tried to sit up in bed, but I couldn't move. I was trapped in a dream. The type of dream you can't scream or move to defend yourself. I could hear my heart pounding fast against my chest. I tried to cling to something, but I was frozen, in suspended animation. I tried to blink the tears that were falling down my face, but it was futile.

The sensation of cold fingers sliding down my back felt repulsive. This was a dream – no, better yet, a decision was being made and it involved someone I've met or will meet in the future.

I learned of one of my ability – or gift – many decades ago. Through a simple touch, I could see the past of those individuals whose lives crossed paths with mine. And then there were the dreams that plagued me at night. I dreamed of her, but the images were fleeting. Maybe she didn't want me to find her. Perhaps she was lost.

The dreams started to happen after I stopped aging. At first they were difficult to decipher. But as they continue to happen, I learned that the dreams were future scenes of someone's life. The dreams could have minor changes, but they were always the same. I got to see how someone's decision altered their future.

It got tiring afterwards. Being able to see glimpses of the possible futures was tiresome. Every night something different occurred. I lived them. I felt them. I could experience different emotions in those dreams – or visions. Death was the scariest. I didn't know when death would come for me and it scared me. I've lived many years, never growing old, and it saddened me that the few friends I made in my life were now elders and dying.

Through the years I learned to pay close attention to the signs that were hidden throughout the dreams. I paid closed attention to the seasons, the time, my surroundings and sometimes the dates. A simple mistake in my calculations and the future could drastically change.

I saved many lives in the process. There were some instances that I didn't interfere. I let the Fates of Destiny dictate a person's life. I stood in the sidelines and watched a person's life unfold. I didn't want to play God. I learned never to play that part. It was dangerous. I did learn to use my gifts to my advantage. They aid me in amassing a small fortune through the years. I learned to survive in a world, alone.

The cold air from the window stirred the blankets, slowly creeping through my pores as beads of sweat formed on my forehead. The sensation of fear swept through me, when I saw her face pop in my mind. I rarely dreamed of Alice.

"Alice," I mumbled, but she couldn't hear me. "Alice!" I said loudly, but the scene that unfolded before me was different.

I followed closely behind her. She stood in front of an old, dirty building. Her shimmering skin slowly sparkled under the setting sun, as she trudged through the glass doors and made her way down the hall. The paint was chipping off the walls and the discoloration of water leaks painted the floor tiles.

Snippets of what happened next unfolded before me, like pages being passed on a book. She is in different places – an archive room, as Alice reads old musty newspaper, microfiche, and worn-out documents. She was focused – determined on finding something.

Whatever Alice was searching for, was creating multiple realities. Her forehead creased with a worried expression when something on a yellowish piece of paper caught her attention.

Everything around me went completely black. I tried to move in my bed, but it felt like I was being held down by steel cables. The darkness engulfed everything around me. My surroundings were bleak, not a single sliver of light could be seen. I felt my feet moving through the thick clouds of uncertainty, when I heard her voice. She was speaking, but I couldn't discern what she was saying. Her voice was like the sound of rippling water on a still pond. She was calling out to me... of this I was certain.

"Um... Alice, are you there?" I gulped, as I took one step at a time in my dream. "Are you there?" I asked again.

Her melodious voice called out in the darkness, but I couldn't see her. I knew she was real closed. I tried to use my other senses, but they were overpowered by the fog of black that was draped over my eyes. I continued to walk. I don't know how far I went. Perhaps I walked miles upon miles. The ground beneath my feet was sturdy. I was tired of the numbing darkness, when the clear sound of a babbling brook caught my attention. The scent of a flower field, moss, and wood filled my nostrils.

"Anyone out there?" I asked, turning around, hoping to see if there was anyone behind me.

The curtains of darkness slowly slid away, revealing a mossy clearing in the middle of the woods. The winter snow was melting. Drops of snow slithered down the trunks and branches of the trees, pelting softly against the ground.

I gulped when a figure whooshed beside me. I caught a glimpsed of her black hair and the sparkling of her skin when she passed through the patch of sunlight that filtered through the clearing. I smiled. Dreaming of her was the only joy I knew. Seeing her was what made it all so worthy.

I followed her, until we reached an old cemetery. She made haste, stopping in front of the many dilapidated tombstone. She rummaged through her purse and pulled out a piece of paper and glanced around the cemetery. She walked slowly toward the far left corner of the cemetery and knelt in front of a marble tombstone.

Mary Alice Brandon, it read. My hands flew to cover my lips and I sobbed.

"Mary Alice Brandon," she whispered, her dainty hand flew to her mouth and she stifled a sob. I moved next to her, looking down at her. With a trembling hand she touched the cold tombstone and repeated her name several times. "I'm not dead," she whispered.

"No, you aren't," I muttered.

Her beautiful face contorted into a grim expression and she got to her feet. We were now facing one another. Her yellowish eyes narrowed with anger, when she kicked the tombstone, shattering it to thousands of small fragments that flew all over.

"I'm not dead," she growled. "I never died!" She gulped and touched the necklace she wore on her neck.

My legs felt weak when I saw the necklace. It was a thin gold thread with small golden cross. I smiled when I saw it. It was familiar. Similar to the one my father wore around his neck. It had to be. Did she remember him?

"He often said it would protect you," I cried, smiling through the veil of tears that clouded my eyes. "It did protect you. Alice," I said, reaching out to touch her, when the scenery behind us began to shake and pieces of the sky fell around me like shards of broken glass.

"Alice!" I shouted, as her image shifted and now she stood in front of a gray building.

I looked around, hoping to find a sign. I looked at the street and memorized the surroundings. I needed to find all the clues. I desperately wanted to find her. It's been so long; too long for a daughter to be without her mother.

I stood next to her, admiring the style of the brick building. Alice shifted on her heels and drew in a deep breath. She lifted one hand and I could see the legible address scribbled on the sheet of paper.

Katherine Thompson – Cynthia's daughter. 415 Main St. Apt #2B Biloxi, Mississippi.

I suddenly woke up and stared at the white, popcorn ceiling of my room. My hair was drenched with sweat, plastered on the side of my face and the pillow. I sat up and quickly ran to the living room, where I had left my laptop.

I searched for the next available flight to Biloxi, MS. There was one from Denver, CO to Gulfport, MS leaving in three hours. Within two minutes, I was packed, ready to find her.


End file.
